The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-28

20 vouch for this report Be this as it may, the
Volunteer, so far as speed 10 concerned, was
success from the start. She began her career
with victory. and kept it up, walking away
from all competitors in n light wind or strong
wind. The weather mattered nothing to he-.
She always easily best
But mans work Is always OF secondary IN
terese to the himself Alr. Burgess Is a
man OK something less than medium height,
sparely built Judging by appearances one
would never credit him with being strong man,
yet he 10 an athlete. So, too, from among a
crowd he would never be picked out as the man
who did great things. He wears glasses has q
beard of moderate length 1t Is hard to say
what he looks like. He is fairly good-looking
Ono would put him down as a quiet, thoughtful
man Of something more than average attain
ments but not much; perhaps a school-teacher,
or q preacher in q small way.
General Paine has q distingue air. He is tall
and soldierly, with a nose that is disposed to be
Wellng tonian. But ne 10 fully modest and
unassuming as Mr.. Burgess When preparin q
for q yacht race he is for the time being welded
to his yacht. He studies her much more care
fully than most husbands study their wives.
Burgess and Paine are matchless team at
yachting Mr.. Burgess knows how to build a
boat to 20. and General Paine knows how to
coax all the ''eo" out Of her that is in her. 1t
was . lucky dav for the yachting supremacy OF
this country when they struck up an acquaint-
nnce
Captain "Hank" Half, the skipper Of the Vol
unteer, 10 q genial and grizzled veteran. tall and
sinewy. He made q reputation for himself and
the Fanny, when he commanded her. and when
- left her the Fanny's half of il departed like
wise. Thoroughly good humored is Captain
Half alwaye, and he knows well that CHEEKY
word will get more out Of his men than sui
phurous epithets. He doesn't keep that article
ION tap" as many shippers do, but nevertheless
he has In his private locker choice assortment
Of nautical phrases which he can use with much
celebrity and efficiency when he thinks the cir
cumstancss demand it.
going TO win, and will frankly say SO to anybody
that takes the trouble to ask HIM his opinion.
Nearly all the crew of the Volunteer are
Swedes and Norwegians, clean. wholesome,
brawny lot of men, with clean-shaven, sun
Drowned faces. They are good seamen. all of
them. Hardly one of them can swim, but that
the Volunteer they would find use for that
accomplishment Some adverse criticisms have
been made because of the employment of for
eigners instead of Americans the Volunteer.
The answer made to this is that the Scandinavia
ans quarrel less than Americans, are more
amepable to discipline and, being less restless
and ambitious. are apt TO stick to their craft
longer.
The Thistle was conceived in secret, shaped
in secret and launched in q shroud. She has
been the cause of more fancifnl sketching and
more conjectural writing than tie Flying Dutch
mans ghostly craft; and Captain Barr has been
a. silent az Captain Vanderdecken. Another
feature that impaired additional interest to the
new challenger here was the composition of the
syndicate Il In hybrid. A fractional part of
1t il American, as MIR. Clark, the thread manu-
facturer Of Newark, who is . member Of it, is a
u
man by birth, and. as it wonld seem. by
instinct. Among those associated with Mr..
Clark arc Vice Commodore James Bell
James Coates. and Uys'
ably from his position in the club, Mr. Bell
selected a. representative owner. The duties
attached to this position are not merely nominal.
It 10 anything but q sinecure. Its holder is apt
to get more than his due share of work; and
while no may be called upon to burden himself
with easily borne load OF glory. he is equally
HAk. L. h. - h. NJ f0R fhA hnlA
syndicate, and to endure vicarious contumely.
Mr.. Bell has shown himself equal to any con-
tneency. A shrewd business man, hailing from
q city where 10 conferred class of merchant
princes Of whom he is o worthy representative,
Mr. Bell 10 the right man to pilot the financial
interests of the Thistle to successful issue;
and, win lose, the syndicate will not be out of
pocket. He has made many friends. and he has
q whole court of admirers in the resident Scot
fish community OF this city. But If they are
proud of the vice-comm odore. they enthusi-
sstic over his wife. Mrs. Bell has a rare faculty
Of amiability that paves for her path of golden
opinions, and she has pluck, energy, and esprit
de-Thste-enough to earn the respect OF all
yachtsmen in the bay.
"Hail to the Thistle" was first sung in
Scotland soon after the New Year Under a
shed in their yard at Meadowside. Patrick, on
the Clyde, Messra D. e. W. Henderson in jan
nary began what, thanks scarcely less to their
workmanship than to the designers skill, turned
out to be the finest vessel Of her type afoat On
April 26 the Thistle was foated, and received
her spars, having her outfit completed at Gou-
rock. She assaulted with criticism enough
to sink her; but she weathered it, and after try
Ing her PAGES sailed south to begin work. Her
voyage down the channel was not without incl
dent. She experienced weather severe enough
TO founder the steamship Harkaway; and she
had tho satisfaction of effecting brave rescue
from that vessel. The testimonial from the
crew she saved hangs framed in her saloon, and
IL there Ia aught in the superstition. surely that
should be her mascot.
Before Mr.. Geo. L. Watson projected the
Thistle. he had already acquired the reputation
of being one of the abest and most original de-
signers In Britain. He is eminenty progress
I've; and, like Mr.. Burgess, his latest model nva-
viably eclipses its predecessor Personally. he
10 unassuming and modest. His popularity has
been increasing with every triumph; but the
Thistle has had the effect of bringing him moro
prominently than ever before to the notice Of
all the English-speaking countries in the world.
There has been scarcely any change in the
She will be manned in the cup race by the same
eailors who have raced her VIGOROUSLY in
British waters Since their arrival here these
Scotsmen have been somewhat lionized. In the
drst place. q crew composed exclusively of men
from north of Tweed ia a novelty.
StAlwart, bronzed and bearded, most of them
have seen severe service. They can tell tales of
shipwreck, OF privation, OF hardships in the icy
wastes OF the frozen zone. The Hghlandmen
among them earned their bread while yet mere
boys by the psrilous toll of fishing off those
treAcherous coasts. But such a life is the best
of training for q seaman. The Thistle's
have already proved themselves heroes; and if
the great race il not won it will not be for want
of grit on their part.
Their commander Capt John Barr, is q man
on whom boundless reliance may be placed. He
has had higly successful career. In the forty
tonner May he made himself known as an expert
yachtsman, and his brilliant succession of VIC
tories while in command of the trim little Clara
Ia still fresh in the minds Of the public Captain
Bars manner ia what his fellow countrymen
characterize as "blate" before a stranger; but by
those who know him personally he is esteemed
both for his qualities skipper and o man.
the ocean. is likewise quiet and reticent; but is
. most skillful navigator. and his guidance of the
Thistle was a feat Of seamanship. The course
he maintained was marvellously direct.
Evolution of the Racing Yacht.
This il the seventh contest for the possession
- h. he